With 2024 rolling in, many of us are wondering what we should continue wearing, what we should introduce into our wardrobe, and what we should leave back in 2023. Overall, it doesn’t look like we’re seeing any drastic changes in trends, and any new trends seem to be very niche and specific.
Returning Trends
It seems obvious that the ultra-mini Uggs are returning since they seem to be everywhere. It’s nearly impossible to go 5 minutes without spotting someone wearing these comfy, slipper-esque shoes. The return makes complete sense – now more than ever, we are prioritizing comfort and these may be one of the comfier pairs of shoes out there.
Also returning are flared pants, jeans, and leggings. There has been talk of skinny jeans coming back, but it would appear to me that flare is as close as we’re going to get for a while. Flared pants provide a more structured yet comfortable approach. They’re easy to style and also always deliver a more stylish and complex look.
I would predict that the maxi and midi skirts will be returning as well. I personally enjoy having more variety in my wardrobe and long skirts are the perfect choice to do this. These skirts are also wearable through all seasons since during the winter, you can stick a pair of fleece-lined leggings or tights underneath. This is another example of an article of clothing that adds something extra and creates an interesting outfit.
Entering Trends
A fresh trend entering in 2024 is anything girly: bows, lace, frills, florals, etc. I assume that this trend was derived from the blockbuster movie of the summer, Barbie, and with that, the emergence of Barbie-core. And while the hot-pink and more campy looks that come with Barbie-core are slowly rolling out, it seems that it is being replaced with something a bit more toned down, but still allowing for a way to express a stereotypical “girly” side.
Another trend that I’ve already been seeing are Adidas Sambas or flatter sneakers. A few years back, we saw an uproar of the thick soles and platform versions of different types of shoes. Though the platforms are still very dominant, I think that this year, we will linger into a flatter, more comfortable sole. The most popular variation seems to be the Adidas Samba- mostly in the classic black and white but also some with different, brighter color variations.
A third incoming trend seems to be bold and bright colors. For years, we have seen a domination of neutral tones but I predict that this year, we will be seeing more vibrancy in everyday clothing. There have also been uprisings of certain solid colors such as green and red. With the popularity of these colors, I feel that it will inspire more bold colors to take over, pushing out the neutral shades.
Exiting Trends
Despite the beginnings of bright colors, I think we will be seeing the end of loud prints. Loud prints can often come off as being gaudy or obnoxious so I predict we will be toning it back this year and avoiding the riskiness of these prints. These prints will probably be replaced with more subtle patterns or (as mentioned earlier) bold, statement colors.
For this year, I think there will be a push away from oversized silhouettes and a gravitation towards more fitted clothing. There appears to be more of a favor in straight-legged and flared pants as opposed to the baggy jeans and there is even some talk of the return of skinny jeans. I think this will translate into gradually moving away from more loosely-fitting clothes.
A trend that seems to be seeing its way out for 2024 is the crop top. It seems like crop tops have been popular forever and there has never been any question as to whether or not they’re going out of style. Now, I don’t believe that crop tops are fully leaving, but that a longer crop top will be more in style this year. There has been a gradual lean towards longer shirts and I think that even crop tops are shifting this way as well.
All in all, many of these expected trends remain the same and the changes seem to be more subtle and specific. These are also merely predictions and are not necessarily accurate. Even though they’re quite popular, the trends should in no way dictate what you wear and it should be more about what you are comfortable wearing, your personal preferences, and how you express yourself.
